National Artists of

the Philippines
 National Artists Award
• Bestows the highest form of recognition to Filipino artists for
their significant contributions in the arts and letters.
• The award is conferred every three years through a rigorous
deliberation and selection process.
• NAA was established in 1972 under Presidential decree
No.1001 issued by then President Ferdinand Marcos.
The first recipient of the National Artists
Award was Fernando Amorsolo, who was
conferred the award posthumously.
NAA Awardees’ Seven Disciplinal Areas
• Architecture, design and allied arts
• Film and broadcast arts
• Visual arts
• Literature
• Dance
• Music
• Theater
 In the history of the NAA, other categories have been considered by
virtue of the president’s prerogative, among them, historical literature
and fashion design
 A good number of works by National Artists can be found in
university campuses. One such example is the University of
the Philipines (UP) campus in Diliman, Quezon City. The iconic
school symbol is based on the Oblation, 1935, a sculptural
work by the classically trained sculptor Guillermo Tolentino
(awarded 1973) depicting a male nude with arms outstretched
as a gesture of sacrifice and freedom.
 Fernando Amorsolo’s romantic paintings of bucolic
landscapes and idealized portraits and prominent individuals
from the Commonwealth period and the Second World War
can be viewed at the Jorge B Vargas Museum in UP.
 List of National Artists of the Philippines
Awardee Date of Award Category

1. Fernando Amorsolo (++) 1972 Painting

2. Francisca R. Aquino (+) 1973 Dance

3. Carlos V. Francisco (++) 1973 Painting

4. Amado V. Hernandez (++) 1973 Literature

5. Antonio J. Molina (+) 1973 Music

6. Juan F. Nakpil (+) 1973 Architecture

7. Guillermo E. Tolentino (+) 1973 Sculpture

8. Jose Garcia Villa (+) 1973 Literature

9. Napoleon V. Abueva 1976 Sculpture

10. Lamberto V. Avellana (+) 1976 Theater and Film

11. Leonor O. Goquingco (+) 1976 Dance

12. Nick Joaquin (+) 1976 Literature

13. Jovita Fuentes (+) 1976 Music

14. Victorio C. Edades (+) 1976 Painting

15. Pablo S. Antonio (++) 1976 Architecture

16. Vicente S. Manansala (++) 1981 Painting

17. Carlos P. Romulo (+) 1982 Literature

18. Gerardo de Leon (++) 1982 Cinema

19. Honorata “Atang” dela Rama (++) 1987 Theater and Music

20. Antonino R. Buenaventura (+) 1988 Music

21. Lucrecia R. Urtula (+) 1988 Dance

22. Lucrecia R. Kasilag (+) 1989 Music

23. Francisco Arcellana (+) 1990 Literature

24. Cesar F. Legaspi (+) 1990 Visual Arts

25. Leandro V. Locsin (+) 1990 Architecture

26. Hernando R. Ocampo (++) 1991 Visual Arts

27. Lucio D. San Pedro (+) 1991 Music

28. Lino Brocka (++) 1997 Cinema

29. Felipe P. de Leon (++) 1997 Music

30. Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero (++) 1997 Theater

31. Rolando S. Tinio (++) 1997 Theater & Literature

32. Levi Celerio (+) 1997 Music & Literature

33. N.V.M. Gonzales (++) 1997 Literature

34. Arturo R. Luz 1997 Visual Arts

35. Jose M. Maceda (+) 1997 Music

36. Carlos Quirino (+) 1997 Historical Literature

37. J. Elizalde Navarro (++) 1999 Painting

38. Prof. Andrea Veneracion (+) 1999 Music

39. Edith L. Tiempo (+) 1999 Literature

40. Daisy H. Avellana (+) 1999 Theater

41. Ernani J. Cuenco (++) 1999 Music

42. F. Sionil Jose 2001 Literature

43. Ang Kiukok (+) 2001 Visual Arts

44. Ishmael Bernal (++) 2001 Cinema

45. Severino Montano (++) 2001 Theater

46. Jose T. Joya (++) 2003 Visual Arts (Painting)

47. Virgilio S. Almario 2003 Literature

48. Alejandro R. Roces (+) 2003 Literature

49. Eddie S. Romero (+) 2003 Cinema & Broadcast Arts

50. Salvador F. Bernal (+) 2003 Theater Design

1. Benedicto R. Cabrera 2006 Visual Arts

52. Abdulmari Asia Imao 2006 Visual Arts

53. Dr. Bienvenido Lumbera 2006 Literature

54. Ramon Obusan (+) 2006 Dance

55. Fernando Poe Jr. (++) 2006 Cinema

56. Archt. Ildefonso P. Santos, Jr. (+) 2006 Landscape Architecture

57. Ramon O. Valera (++) 2006 Fashion Design

58. Manuel Conde (++) 2009 Film

59. Lázaro Francísco (++) 2009 Literature

60. Federico Aguilar Alcuaz (+) 2009 Visual Arts

Legend: (+) deceased; (++) posthumous conferment.

61. Alice Reyes 2014 Dance

62. Francisco V. Coching (++) 2014 Visual Arts

63. Cirilo F. Bautista 2014 Literature

64. Francisco F. Feliciano 2014 Music

65. Ramon P. Santos 2014 Music

66. Jose Maria V. Zaragoza (++) 2014 Architecture